April 16, 2006
DEATH, BURIAL, & RESURRECTION
1 Corinthians 15:1-6

   "Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, and... was buried, and...He rose again the third day according to the scriptures..." (1 Cor. 15:3-4). Paul proclaimed Christ's death, burial, and resurrection as the gospel, the good news by which we are saved and wherein we stand.
   God tells the sinner that his sin debt has been paid by another, by the Savior, the only One Who had no sins of His own. Only Christ could assume such a debt and pay it in full to God's satisfaction. And Christ was raised from the dead proving that God had received the payment. It was of utmost importance in the Old Testament times, that one's offering was acceptable to God. God received Abel's blood offering of a slain lamb yet refused fruit of the cursed ground offered by Cain.
   Paul also wrote how righteousness was imputed to Abraham on the basis of his faith. He simply believed God's promise. Yet this was not written for Abraham's sake alone..."but for us also, to whom righteousness shall be imputed, if we believe on Him Who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification" (Romans 4:3, 23-25)." This is how sinners are saved.
   Christ's death, burial, and resurrection have an even fuller message to the believer, the saint. Paul asked, "How shall we who are dead to sin, live any longer therein?" Or, "How shall we live?" Paul answered, "Don't you know that as many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into His death? Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life" (6:2-4). Christ's death was our death, as were also His burial and His resurrection. Thus believers are to acknowledge their deadness to the dominion of sin and walk in newness of life, just as if we were also risen.
   Colossians 2:11-13 reads, "In Whom also you are circumcised with the circumcision make without hands, in the putting off the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ (His death); buried with Him in that baptism (Calvary) wherein also you are risen with Him through the faith of the operation of God Who raised Him from the dead. And you, being dead to the sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, has He energized together with Him having forgiven you all sins." "By grace are you saved!"

Ivan L. Burgener